The OpenSimulator Community Conference is an annual conference that focuses on the community around the OpenSimulator software. The conference features two days of presentations, workshops, keynote sessions, and social events across diverse sectors of the OpenSimulator user base.

What is OpenSimulator?

OpenSimulator is an open source multi-platform, multi-user 3D application server that can be used to create a virtual environment (or world) which can be accessed through a variety of clients, on multiple protocols. It also has an optional facility (the Hypergrid) to allow users to visit other OpenSimulator installations across the web from an account on a ‘home’ OpenSimulator installation.

OpenSimulator allows virtual world developers to customize their worlds using the technologies they feel work best – the framework is designed to be easily extensible. OpenSimulator is written in C#, running both on Windows over the .NET Framework and on Unix-like machines over the Mono framework. The source code is released under a BSD License, a commercially friendly license to embed OpenSimulator in products.

Out of the box, OpenSimulator can be used to simulate virtual environments similar to Second Life™, however, the project pursues innovative feature development with an aspiration of becoming the bare bones, but extensible, server of the 3D Web.

I’m interested in being a speaker, where do I sign up?

The conference will have six “tracks” to cluster break-out sessions into common areas of interest, including:

Each track may have different requirements in their Call for Speakers, so please be sure to view the specific pages for each track you may be interested in. All speaker proposals are due on July 1, 2013.

I’m interested in being a sponsor, where do I sign up?

Although the OpenSimulator Community Conference is being held in virtual space, and made possible by hardware donations and by dozens of volunteers, the conference incurs some expenses, in particular the professionally-managed operation of the conference center grid (the setup, performance tuning, and constant monitoring are of utmost importance for the success of the conference) and the streaming services and other web services. Compared to real-world conferences, the budget of a virtual event like the OpenSimulator Community Conference is very modest, but, nevertheless, it’s not zero. As such, we ask businesses, entrepreneurs, and community members alike to help financially support the conference if they are able.

We offer a wide range of sponsorship opportunities for community members and grids of all levels, and sponsorships are tax deductible for US residents minus the value of any tangible benefits!

I’m interested in being a volunteer or helping out, where do I sign up?

The conference needs volunteers to help greet attendees, moderate breakout sessions, assist with building and scripting tasks, technical support and assistance with streaming, and other duties to help make the conference a success. If you are experienced with the OpenSimulator platform and have an interest in helping, we’d love to have you join the team!

Who is producing the conference?

The OpenSimulator Community Conference 2013 is being organized in a joint effort between the Overte Foundation and AvaCon.

The Overte Foundation is a non-profit organization that manages contribution agreements for the OpenSimulator project. In the future, it will also act to promote and support both OpenSimulator and the wider open-source 3D virtual environment ecosystem.

AvaCon, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the growth, enhancement, and development of the metaverse, virtual worlds, augmented reality, and 3D immersive and virtual spaces. We hold conventions and meetings to promote educational and scientific inquiry into these spaces, and to support organized fan activities, including performances, lectures, art, music, machinima, and much more. Our primary goal is to connect and support the diverse communities and practitioners involved in co-creating and using virtual worlds, and to educate the public and our constituents about the emerging ecosystem of technologies broadly known as the metaverse.

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